Description

The Qur'an, believed by Muslims to be the word of God, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad 1400 years ago. Recognized as the greatest literary masterpiece in Arabic, the sacred text has nevertheless remained difficult to understand in its English translations. First published in 2004, M.A.S. Abdel Haleem's translation has been acclaimed for its success in avoiding archaism and cryptic language to produce a version that is both faithful to the original and easy to read. Now for the first time it is published with the original Arabic text to give a greater appreciation and understanding of the holy book. The traditional Arabic calligraphic pages are displayed alongside the English translation, which has been revised for this new edition. A useful general introduction on the revelation, stylistic features, issues of interpretation and translation of the Qur'an is included, together with summaries of each sura, essential footnotes and an index. The verses are individually numbered to facilitate comparison with the Arabic.
It is an edition both for those familiar with the Qur'an and for those coming to it for the first time; the message of the Qur'an was directly addressed to all people regardless of class, gender, or age, and this dual-language edition is equally accessible to everyone.show more

About M. a. S. Abdel Haleem

M. A. S. Abdel Haleem was born in Egypt, and learned the Qur'an by heart from childhood. Educated at Al-Azhar, Cairo, and Cambridge Universities, he has taught Arabic at Cambridge and London Universities since 1966, including courses in advanced translation and the Qur'an. He is now Professor of Islamic Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. His most recent publications are Understanding the Qur'an: Themes and Style (2001) and English Translations of the Qur'an: The Making of an Image (2004). He is the Editor of the Journal of Qur'anic Studies and the London Qur'anic Studies series. He was awarded the OBE in 2008.show more

Review quote

Review from previous edition "[Haleem] transforms the Holy Book's complex grammar and structure into smooth, contemporary English mercifully free from archaisms, anachronisms and incoherence. The result it both accessible and compelling...a remarkable achievement' (on the English translation)' New Statesman a refreshing, very useful and interesting new translation ...one of the best to have appeared in recent times. Muslim News [Haleem] has managed to transform the complex grammar and structure of the holy book into a form of modern English which reads easily and flows smoothly without taking liberties with the inviolable text. The Economist [Haleem] knows the text by heart, and his intimacy with it shows in the brevity and intuitive intelligence of his solutions. Times Literary Supplement accurate, sensitive, well-annotated English translation of the Qur'an. Scotland on Sundayshow more